SOARing to New Heights... Welcome Dr. Spates!

By Angela Javaid

Broadcast Manager

Meet the Writer

In the 2026-2027 school year at SOAR High, we are proud to welcome Dr. Krishna Spates as our new principal! This is her first experience in managing two separate campuses, as she was previously a middle school principal. She has already gotten the chance to meet some of the staff, students, and even their parents as she makes her transition from her past school into SOAR High.

Dr. Spates found out about the open position at SOAR High through the website edjoin.com. She stated that she was feeling “curious” when she was exploring the site, which is when she found out about this opportunity. “I loved my middle school…so when I saw it I called my boss [and told him] I’m gonna apply. That was the hardest phone call I had to make in a while,” she states. Essentially, the choice to become principal at SOAR was a hard decision to make, but she does believe that coming here was “a dream come true.”

Our principal has always been fond of the AVID elective ever since she taught the subject in the past as a teacher. She saw “the impact of AVID on students,” so when the original coordinator left, she was motivated to keep the program running in order for students to continue receiving the benefits of the class. Dr. Spates noticed that AVID encouraged students into believing that they could become whoever they wanted to be after schooling, which is one of her moral values. This is why she’s “always been a fan of SOAR.” Due to the school’s AVID-focused environment and the opportunity to take college classes early, students are more likely to believe that they have a good future ahead of them.

Aside from her job as a principal, Dr. Spates has a few hobbies that some of us can relate to! She enjoys listening to music, hanging out at home with her dog, exploring new places/communities, and reading nonfiction!

So whether you want to talk song recommendations or discuss the best nonfiction books to read nowadays, Dr. Spates is your woman! She is completely devoted to ensuring that all students are prepared for college, whether they want to attend or not. However, as success is important, she tells us that it is important for us to be okay mentally too. We must “take care of [ourselves]” throughout our high school journey and beyond, as there isn't a point to achieving our dreams if we’re not mentally okay.